THE SERGEANT-MAJOR AND LORD JERSEY.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2168, 6 August 1897, Page 3

THE SERGEANT-MAJOR AND LORD JERSEY.

'Before proceeding to detail the doings of the New South Wales Rifles in London during the past week," writes the war correspondent of the Sydney " Daily Telegraph," under date of the :50th of April, "I must tell you a good story concerning an amusing incident which befell one of their most popular non-commissioned officers. The yarn has the merit of being veracious, and is warranted bran new. the circumstances having only occurred last Tuesday. On that day a detachment of men in charge of an N.C.O. visited the Tower of London, the Bank of England, and St. Paul's. They were drawn up on the platform of Mill Hill station waiting for the train to town, when a man in the nondescript garb of dittoes and pot hat.which may be worn by anyone in this country from a prince to a ploughboy, came up to the N.C.O. with outstretched hand and beaming smile. The Australian recognised the person at once as a fellow whose face he'd known very well in NewSouth Wales, but he couldn't for the life of him 'place' him. The association in his mind seemed to be that the man had had something to do with railways in the colony, and seeing him come out of the ticket office at Mill Hill he quickly concluded he must be a booking clerk there. Therefore he greeted him with great affability, and avowed himself delighted to see his 'old pal' again. 'So,' quoth he, jovially, "you've got a berth here, have you? Well, I'm glad. Not but what I quite expected to find you knocking about at one of these underground stations.' 'Yes.' said the stranger, pleasantly: 'I often come here.' 'Do you now?' replied the N.C.0.. quite confident he had fallen on to the right track; 'do you now? Not always on duty at the same shop, eh? Well, I'm right glad you've got a billet. To tell the truth (jocularly) I half feared the old folks at home mightn't care to take you on at all. Ha! ha! ha!' This jest was pointed with a portentous wink and a thumping slap on the back. Have you ever noticed the stiffening effect of a slap on the back? If not, try one on the first unconscious friend of yours you meet in the street, and should it result in nothing worse than blasphemy be thankful. The stranger did not swear out loud, but he seemed suddenly to grow several inches. 'l'm afraid,' he said, with grave courtesy, 'you don't recollect me. I am—Lord Jersey.' The celerity with which that N.C.O. sprang to attention and saluted suggested electricity. The ex-viceroy put aside his aiM 1 l lt »'i ( -s^^||^^ i ha i ' a( ' teristit ' » ood nature and questions were they, what was this and that. Up delighted two by recognising them as having: been amongrst his escort on wellremembered occasions In the colony, and he promised to visit the detachment at Hounslow. As the train came puffing up, his lordship bade thp N.C.O. a cordial farewell, remarking, slyly, ' I can assure you. sergeant-major, though the old folks at home have, contrary to your expectation, been very good to me. Lady Jersey and myself often rpcall the pleasant times we spent in New South Wales.' "